


A shield for your back as you are for mine

by The_Emotional_Robot



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Adventure, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Old Married Couple, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23614177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Emotional_Robot/pseuds/The_Emotional_Robot
Summary: From this Prompt: Admiral McCoy goes after Spock Prime AU | Plot Bunny 3 Admiral McCoy, still alive in the year 2387 at the age of 160, still angry that Spock didn’t allow him to help him during the The Red Matter incident; goes after Spock into the alternate timeline to get his hobgoblin back and drag his green blooded arse home.Or a love story across two universes because someone forgot to tell one Southern doctor that it couldn't be done.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Comments: 23
Kudos: 119





	A shield for your back as you are for mine

_That damned Hobgoblin. THAT GREENBLOODED ELF! How dare he just clear off and leave him behind!_

What was the last 100 years to him – some summertime promise made between high school sweethearts as easily forgotten as a blink of the eye? All those crazed adventures, the heartache, the banter, Ji-, The Enterprise, a home, kisses in the dark, names murmured at nights – just something to be thrown away because of some goddammed thingamajigger to save some planet already half blown to Kingdom come?

_Well it will be a cold day in hell before I let him get away with it!_

_How dare he just leave me! How dare he go now! Especially mid argument – one I was winning, darnit!_

It wasn’t hard to convince the Vulcans to lend (read give with the likelihood of actually returning) him a Jellyfish like Spock had already taken through a blackhole. Afterall Leonard had lived on Vulcan on and off for 117 years, since he had bonded with Spock. Some said that Vulcans were cold and emotionless but Leonard knew different. The human had always … unsettled… the Vulcans. They had never really understood him or been able to meet him half way. Overly emotional and more blunt than a butcher’s knife after Thanksgiving, he was just too alien. So when he told them in no uncertain terms that he was going after the half Vulcan and that no one was going to stop him, they had been as content as a dead pig in the sunshine to see the back of him. Well as much as Vulcans could be. They had even helped him pack – bless their hearts.

The journey through the blackhole had been a bit shaky. Especially on his old Bones. He sniggered at that. When he had first been given that nickname he hadn’t known how appropriate that it would become. At the grand old age of 160 years old, he looked more like a sack of bones than anything else. He had no illusion of how age had taken him, humans had never lived this long before. A bit of Leonard didn’t think they should but here he was on the other side so long in the tooth that there were colonised planets younger than him.

At least he had his hair still even if it was as white as Denver snowfall. And he had his eye sight – what a gift that was. And he could still take the knocks (literally it seemed).

Admittedly when the ship came through the other side, he couldn’t help his relief. And that was before he recognised the name of the ship _._

Oh of course it was _her._

Who else could find him so very far from home in the dark and the danger that was the hellhole called space and offer him sanctuary? Only her.

She was beautiful too – as if time and all its weariness hadn’t touched her.

He fell into memory as old men so often do and soon he became so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn’t initially recognise the voice calling through the comms.

“Enterprise to Triquetra. Do you need assistance?”

OH NO. It had not occurred to Leonard, not for a second that this could happen but of course it had. If something like this would happen then it would be to him. Leonard McCoy was the universe’s goddamned whipping boy.

Because that was Nyota Uhura on the comm. Because that was The Enterprise. Because it was the year 2258 according to the Triquetra’s scanners.

And Leonard wasn’t sure he was brave enough for this.

To fly into unknown territory after the love of his life was one thing. But this – to see Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, Geoff, Christine, Scotty, and …. All over again?

After all this time? As an old man? Leonard felt like he would have his heart ripped out all over again if he answered that hail. To face them again, to see them full of youth and laughter, before time and their experience aged them. To see them before Old Father Time had got his claws into them.

God he couldn’t bear it.

The computer trilled again. “Enterprise to Triquetra. Can you read me.”

But he’d have to. For one thing, the kid was damned fool enough to come a board regardless, especially if he thought someone needed help, and how would that look? Hiding away on his ship not answering the call like a yellow bellied fool.

And another, a tiny part of him, whispered: “ _because you have missed them. All of them.”_

So he pulled up his courage from his bootstraps - and all of his Southern charm- gamely replying:

“Well hello there darling. Aren’t you a delight for sore ears. This maybe a little odd but my name is Leonard McCoy and I’m looking for an Ambassador Spock.”

There was a gasp on the other end and then silence. After a few seconds of radio silence where Leonard sat reconsidering life decisions all the way back to the college and picking medicine. Then out of nowhere he heard the computer trill and a familiar voice on the other end.

“Leonard McCoy? I’m guessing that’s Doctor Leonard McCoy. Oh my god- Bones is gonna love this! Bagsy me telling him!”

For a moment all the air rushed from his lungs. He felt his heart fall to his stomach and beat there. All the blood pounded in his ears.

_It’s … It’s … It’s …_

And then because it was all too much, he did the only thing he could other than cry – burst into uncontrollable laughter. It wasn’t just laughter. It was the bone aching, jaw tensing sort. The sort where you felt you could pull something laughing.

Truthfully – and where could you be more honest than your own head? – it was verging on hysterical. He was laughing so hard that he only heard half of the message from the computer.

“… so yeah anyway, long story short, he’s here. Why don’t you come along and dock your ship.”

Leonard thought it best to sober himself up a bit – no need for the kids to think he’d gone senile. He boarded the ship and made his way through the Enterprise. Not waiting for baby Jim – he probably didn’t expect him to as after all Leonard knew the whole ship like the back of his hand - finally he entered the Bridge.

And that’s when he felt him. That cool logic that hit him with the force of an avalanche. Vulcans may say that they are unemotional, well just let them feel the force of a Vulcan bond – or not because this Vulcan is mine.

But Leonard was getting side tracked, he could feel him and by the perfectly raised eyebrow and the mild look of a deer caught in headlights (only clear to someone who knew him well), the half-Vulcan could feel him too.

_Good._

_Did that damned ice block not know I’d cross the universe to get to him?_

_And he has the affront to look settled here amongst these… these damned doppelgangers? Like this is normal! Like he does it every day! Like its just the sun setting over the Georgia trees!_

“You uppity, feckless, damned foolish Hobgoblin! Tearing a universe apart for what to prove how clever you are? You claim to be such a genius and logical, but if you had an idea, it would die of loneliness! And how dare you just go off and leave me with all of the other cold icicles!”

During all of this, at no point did Leonard tear his blue eyes from Spock’s. He couldn’t. How could he acknowledge the figures standing next to him? How could he look into his best friend’s face? How could he lose him again?

And that’s what hurt him most about Spock’s decision. He knew how much he had lost and yet he went on this god damned fool mission anyway!

He pushed through the bond all his anger, his hurt, his fear. Fear of losing Spock. Fear of being alone. Fear of losing himself.

After all what was that phrase Chekov used to say – that a man is only forgotten when his name was said for the last time.

And how many names had he lost?

Son?

Leo?

Doctor?

Bones?

Dad?

To lose Leonard. T’hy’la. That would have been too much. Who would he have been at the end?

He heard Spock speak in a grave tone, his eyes and bond full of sorrow and guilt.

“I never meant to leave thee Leonard. The Romulans needed our help and then the blackhole pulled me here. Forgive me. I am however … satisfied that you are here. I never doubted you would come.”

Leonard could feel the surprise around the room that Spock had spoken so plainly. So many years with a needy and emotional human had required to be more open when Leonard needed him to be. After all, mused Leonard, it was only logical to show affection to a scared mate.

Leonard and Spock had both had years to be worn to fit one another. That’s what love was - not all that soulmate nonsense. Soulmates were a lie told by card companies and chocolatiers as no one was born to fit another. That only created unhealthy co-dependency. No love was more like … a Mint Julep. Mint and bourbon were just fine on their own and did their own thing just swell but when brought together they made something truly wonderful - and even fun! But both ingredients had to balance to really set the other one off just like two people had to know when to give and when to concede. A long the way therefore Leonard had finally learnt when to accept an apology for what it was.

“I never said that you shouldn’t help the Romulans, Spock. Do you really think me so callous and cruel? No all I wanted was for you not to leave me behind!”

Spock moved forward at that, raising his fingers which Leonard even in his old age to skipped to meet. That’s when he felt the love, the affection, and delight on seeing him alongside the apology and the reaffirmed promise not to leave him again. Leonard wrapped himself up in it like it was a comforter on a cold night. For a moment, he savoured and held onto it like a child clinging to a mother’s hand. Then opening his eyes, he looked into his lover’s.

That’s where he saw the mirrored fear and apprehension mingled with delight at their reunion with their old friends. He too had mixed feelings it seemed on seeing … on seeing all of them again.

Leonard looked at his old friend and lover of over a century and found himself whispering…

“Together.”

And so they did turn slowly together towards the Captain’s chair.

After all isn't that where they had always been?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at Star Trek fanfic (the original and the best) and I hope that I have done the prompt justice. 
> 
> Prompt can be found here: https://firechildslytherin5.tumblr.com/post/190545327251/star-trek-admiral-mccoy-goes-after-spock-prime
> 
> The title comes from a really beautiful celtic marriage vow which I like anyway but really suits Spock and McCoy. It can be found here: https://www.myweddingvows.com/cultural-wedding-vows/celtic-wedding-vow
> 
> I apologise for any failed attempts at American (in particular Southern American) but I am a bona fide Brit and have based it on internet searches so please be forgiving. :)


End file.
